Supreme Court says Baba Ramdev's apology shows 'marked improvement', grants relief

Yoga guru and Patanjali Ayurved brand ambassador Baba Ramdev arrives at the Supreme Court to attend the hearing.

In a major relief to Baba Ramdev and Patanjali MD Acharya Balkrishna, the Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that the fresh public apology published by them in newspapers over misleading advertisements, showed “marked improvement”. The apex court also exempted them from personal appearance in the next hearing.

A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah told the duo’s lawyer, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, that the language of the unconditional apology was adequate.

“I don’t know the second apology is on whose vetting. There has been marked improvement…We appreciate that. Now finally they have understood,” said Justice Amanullah.

The judge said in the previous apology, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna’s names were missing.

“Now the names have come. It is a marked improvement, we appreciate that,” Justice Amanullah observed.

The Supreme Court was hearing a plea by the Indian Medical Association against Baba Ramdev, Balkrishna and the firm, alleging they had been running a smear campaign against the coronavirus vaccination and modern medicine. The plea also objected to the company’s advertisements claiming its herbal products could cure diseases.

On April 23, the court had asked the trio to place the apology on record.

In November 2023, the Balkrishna-led firm had submitted a written assurance to the court that it would not violate laws linked to misleading advertisements. It said it would make “no casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine will be released to the media in any form”.

However, earlier this year, the court found the firm in violation of the undertaking. It later issued show cause notices to Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, asking why contempt proceedings shouldn’t be initiated against them.

In March this year, after the duo failed to file a response to the contempt plea, the top court directed them to appear in-person.

The bench will hear the case next on May 7.

Meanwhile, when Mukul Rohatgi asked the court to grant them exemption from personal appearance, the court said: “The exemption is granted limited to the next date of hearing”.

With inputs from PTI

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